Malhavoc Press

The Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus Preview
By Monte Cook
Illustration by Kieran Yanner

Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus describes seven unique and magical locales for you to add to your campaign -- along with all their associated characters, spells, feats, powers, and magic items. To give you a taste of one of these locales, here is a small passage from Chapter Six: The Tomb of Frozen Dreams.

Deep within frozen glaciers lies a series of ice caves long inhabited by a reclusive sect of arcanists called the Hedrudal. These sorcerers and wizards have sequestered themselves in order to study magic more fully and expand the range of their capabilities for wielding its power. They have also tapped into the natural essence of ice and found a way to freeze dreams within its chilled soul....

The spells of the Tomb of Frozen Dreams are quite varied. They were all developed by the Hedrudal, however, and thus they show a real mastery of arcane magic. Here is a sampling of four of their spells. (Now updated to v. 3.5, from The Complete Book of Eldritch Might—Ed.)

Compelling Question
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Language-Dependent, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You ask another creature a single, simple question that can be answered with a single word. On the creature's next turn, as a free action, it answers you as truthfully as possible. The DM is free to assign modifiers to the saving throw based on how important the target considers the answer. Asking someone whether she is the king's murderer, for example, involves a closely guarded secret and may earn a trained assassin a +4 competence bonus to the save.

Comrade's Immunity
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Target: One willing creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You render a creature immune to the effects of your spells, so that each time you cast a spell at the target or while she remains in the area of effect, it is as if you failed a spell resistance check to affect her. Thus, spells that do not allow spell resistance can still affect her. The target must be willing and you must state her name as part of the spell.

Wizards frequently use this spell on their fighter allies, allowing them to hurl fireballs and similar spells with impunity, knowing that they will not harm their friends. Since you know your spell cannot harm your friend, you may make a ranged attack with a spell at a foe engaged in melee with your comrade without suffering the normal -4 penalty for firing into melee.

Material Component: A scrap of parchment with your comrade's name on it

Play the Fool
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature/level
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The target fools someone who cast a spell upon her -- if she makes her saving throw, the caster instead believes she failed it. Thus, she could convince an opposing spellcaster attempting to charm her that the spell succeeded, or that an answer she gives to a compelling question is the truth when it is a lie.

Material Component: A short stick with a bell on the end

Slay Illusion
Illusion
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/level)
Effect: One illusory creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (if interacted with)
Spell Resistance: None

You create an illusion of a horrible creature of Large size that you choose (or design). The illusion has both visual and audible components. This illusion moves at a speed of 40 to the nearest illusion within range, detecting it without possibility of error. Your illusion can charge and double move, but not run, and its movement requires no action on your part.

As soon as it reaches the other illusion, it destroys it in a visual display of illusory obliteration. The remnants of the destroyed illusion fade. The next round, your illusion moves again to the nearest illusion within range and does the same thing, continuing the attacks until the spell ends. If there are no illusions within range, the illusory creature disappears in a blast of illusory fire.

For example, say you cast this spell near an illusion of a dragon. You make your illusionary creature a troll. The "troll" moves to the illusion of the dragon and tears it apart, the bloody dragon bits fading after a moment. The next round, the "troll" moves across the room to an illusory wall (which you did not even know was an illusion) and destroys it, ripping the rocks and mortar apart. The rocks and mortar fade, and, with no other illusions within range, the "troll" disappears.

Like all illusions, interaction with the illusory creature allows other characters a saving throw, although their belief or disbelief in the illusion has no effect on its ability to seek out and destroy other illusions.